African Violet plant named ‘EverHarmony’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of African Violet named ‘EverHarmony’ particularly characterized by its multiflorescence trait, white to very light pink flowers with darker pink around the green center and on some petal edges, wavy edges ending with a finely frilled greenish line that can be up to 2-3 mm, strong, upright flower stems that curve slightly toward the center to form a compact flower bouquet above the leaves, medium green, wavy and serrated, oval to heart-shaped leaves, vigorous and extra large growth habit, flowering 12-13 weeks after potting, and long-lasting and non-dropping flowers.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES OF THE PLANT CLAIMED

Saintpaulia ionantha.

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘EverHarmony’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of AfricanViolet plant, botanically known as Saintpaulia ionantha, and hereinafterreferred to by the cultivar name ‘EverHarmony’.

The new cultivar was referred to during the breeding and selectionprocess by the designation ‘R 28/4’ and is a product of a plannedbreeding program. The new cultivar originated from a cross made by theinventor, Reinhold Holtkamp, Sr., in the controlled breeding program inNasvhille, Tenn. The female, or seed parent was a cultivar designated ‘P40/9 white muflo. Bie’ (unpatented). The male, or pollen parent was acultivar designated ‘Q 6/2’ (unpatented). ‘P 40/9 white muflo. Bie’ wasproduced from plants derived from African Violet seeds insulated for sixyears in a weightless environment in space on the Long Duration ExposureFacility.

In comparison to the instant plant, the female parent is a cultivarhaving white flowers without the light green edge, compact andmultiflorescent. The male parent is a cultivar having purple-red flowerswith white edges, semi-double, frilled, and non-multiflorescent.

‘EverHarmony’ was discovered and selected by the inventor as a floweringplant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environmentin Nashville, Tenn. Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by leafcuttings, as performed by me at Nashville, Tenn., has demonstrated thatthe combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the newcultivar are firmly fixed and retained through successive generations ofasexual reproduction. The new cultivar reproduces true-to-type.

‘EverHarmony’ has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations inenvironment such as temperature, light intensity and day length withoutany change in genotype. The following observations, measurements andvalues describe the new cultivar as grown in Nashville, Tenn. andHaffen, Germany under greenhouse conditions which closely approximatethose generally used in commercial practice.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics have been repeatedly observed and aredetermined to be basic characteristics of ‘EverHarmony’, which incombination distinguish this African Violet as a new and distinctcultivar:

1) Multiflorescence trait;

2) A single crown will grow as large as 30-40 cm in diameter;

3) Strong, upright flower stems curving slightly toward the center;

4) Single violet-shaped, white to very light pink flowers with darkerpink in the center and around some edges ending with a finely frilledgreenish edge, which can be up to 2-3 mm particularly on the 2 smallerpetals;

5) Each plant carries 10-14, and sometimes more, upright flower stemseach of which carries 13-18, and sometimes more, flowers;

6) Long-lasting, non-dropping flowers;

7) Vigorous and compact growth;

8) Plant saleable 12-13 weeks after potting;

9) Seed capsules are visible above the petals;

10) Medium-green, wavy and serrated, oval to heart-shaped leaves; and

11) After maturity the flowers dry off, and remain on the pedunclewithout becoming infected by Botrytis.

The new cultivar is most similar to ‘EverLove’ (U.S. Plant patentapplication Ser. No. 10/046,748). Both cultivars have the same parentsand display the multiflorescence trait, have the same extra large growthhabit and same type leaves and flower shape with the greenish edge.However, ‘EverLove’ has bright purplish-red flowers with a wide lightpink edge and finely frilled greenish edge and dark green leaves whereas‘EverHarmony’ has bi-colored white to very light pink flowers withdarker pink center and edges and medium green leaves.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying color photographic drawing shows a typical plant of thenew cultivar ‘EverHarmony’. The colors appearing in the photograph areas true as possible with color illustrations of this type.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.), except where general colorsof ordinary significance are referred to. Color values were taken undernatural sunlight conditions at approximately 12 p.m. in Nashville, Tenn.Measurements were taken 16-18 weeks from potting, as grown in a 6″ pot.

Parentage:

Male parent.—‘Q 6/2’.

Female parent.—‘P 40/9 white muflo. Bie’.

Propagation: Leaf cuttings.

Plant: 10 cm to 13 cm tall when grown in pots, and 30-40 cm in diameterwhen fully grown.

Leaves.—General form: Oval to heart-shaped. Size: 80-90 mm wide and85-95 mm long.

Texture.—Leather-like. Aspect: Wavy, serrated, hairy, shiny. Veins:Upperside: yellow-green, RHS 147 A; underside: well pronounced, lightgreen, RHS 147 D, shiny. Color (upperside): Yellow-green RHS 147 A.Color (underside): Greyed-green RHS 194 C to RHS 194 D. Petiole: Strong,light green, RHS 147 C, hairy.

Flowers.—Buds: Bell-shaped, light green, between RHS 147 D and RHS 145C, 8-10 mm in length, and 7-8 mm in width just before opening. Sepals:Five (5), one sepal for each flower petal; spear shaped, 4-6 mm inlength, 1.5-2 mm in width at the tips; margins are straight, color:upperside and underside green, between RHS 147 B and RHS 146 C. Calyx:Shape: Funnel-shaped. Peduncle: Character: Strong upright, hairy; 20-25mm in length. Color: green RHS 147 C with brownish touch RHS 177 A.

Individual flowers.—Size: 35-40 mm in width (as measured when pressedflat), 35-40 mm in length (as measured from the top of the small petalsto the bottom of the large middle petal) Shape: Single violet-shapedwith finely frilled, wavy edge. Petals: 5 (3 large, 2 small); smallpetals are 14-17 mm in length and 15-18 mm in width; large petals are17-20 mm in length and 18-22 mm in width; margins are wavy and finelyfrilled; rounded apex shape. Color (upperside): The main color isbetween white and closest to but lighter than purple RHS 78 D, withtinges of color between purple RHS 78 D to RHS 78 C and red-purple RHS74 D around center and around the edges. The center is yellow-green RHS145 B and the fine frilled line is yellow-green RHS 145 B to RHS 145 Cto RHS 145 D and can extend to 2-3 mm particularly on the 2 smallerpetals. Occasionally, the green edge is lacking. Under coolertemperatures and more intensive lighting, the light pink tends tointensify. Color (underside): White to lighter than but closest topurple RHS 78 D; occasional green edge yellow-green RHS 145 B to RHS 145C. Borne: Each of the flower stems carries 13-18 and more flowers onstrong, upright peduncles that are free standing above the leaves,thereby forming a compact bouquet. Flowering habit: Flowers 12-13 weeksafter potting. Lastingness of the individual bloom: 4-6 weeks under goodgrowing conditions.

Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Two (2). Anthers: 2 composed of 4 anthercells, seed capsules push slightly through. Pistil: 1. Filaments:Yellowish white, 3-4 mm long. Pollen Color: Yellow RHS 7 A, moderateproduction. Styles: 6-7 mm long, pink, base of ovary light green andhairy.

Roots.—Normally developed, white when young, turning slightly brownishwhen older.

Disease resistance: ‘EverHarmony’ has shown very good resistance to allmajor violet diseases.

General observations: ‘EverHarmony’ is a very attractive cultivar due toits abundance of white to very light-pink flowers with darker pinkaround the green center and on some petal edges ending with a finelyfrilled greenish edge, which can be up to 2-3 mm particularly on the 2smaller petals. Furthermore, it is an outstanding cultivar due to itsmultiflorescence trait in which a plant has 2 to 3 flower stems emergingout of each leaf internode, thereby continuously giving the cultivar newbuds before the old flowers have wilted. A nice flower bouquet that isfree-standing above the leaves develops 12-13 weeks after planting anunrooted plantlet. Under ideal growing conditions, ‘EverHarmony’ isnever without blooms. Each of the 10-14, or more, strong flower stemscarries 13-18, or more single violet-shaped flowers with wavy, frillededges. ‘EverHarmony’ is an extra large cultivar, designed to be grown ina 15 cm pot. The plant may also be grown in a 10 cm pot successfullywithin a 8-10 week time period from potting to finish. The profusebouquet is surrounded by large, medium-green, oval to heart-shaped, wavyand serrated leaves. The flowers are long-lasting and non-dropping andthe seed capsules push slightly through.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct African Violet plant named ‘EverHarmony’,as described and illustrated herein.